PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's soccer team got back into the win column Wednesday afternoon with a convincing 4-0 victory over non-conference Norwich University at the Field House Complex.
Making his first start as an intercollegiate student-athlete, sophomore goalkeeper
Kiernan Kirby (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) turned aside six shots to post a clean sheet. Kirby was supported by a potent Cardinal offense that finished with a 21-13 edge in shots.
Plattsburgh State rises to 4-2-0 overall with the win and next hosts Clarkson University on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. Norwich drops to 2-3-0 overall with the loss and visits Saint Joseph's College of Maine next on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
Junior forward
Alex Price (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) put the Cardinals on the board in the 13th minute, as he scored on a sliding strike following passes from sophomore midfielder
Jimmy Marchena (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) and junior forward
Chris Robertson (Thiells, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [N.J.]). Though Plattsburgh State held an 11-5 cushion in shots in the first half, Price's score was the only marker the Cardinals produced through the first 45 minutes of play.
In the 55th minute, sophomore midfielder
Connor Nembach (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) benefited from pinpoint tic-tac-toe passing from Marchena and Robertson to get a one-on-one opportunity with the Cadet goalkeeper. Nembach dribbled past the Norwich keeper and found an empty net to bury the ball in to give the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage. Sophomore forward
Kyle Pfaff (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) got involved in the scoring in the 72nd minute, taking advantage of combination passing from sophomore forward
Sean Cray (Modena, N.Y./Wallkill) and senior forward
Nicholas Laurent (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South) to stretch the cushion to three goals.
Finally, in the 81st minute, senior defender
Elver Maldonado (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) found the back of the net on a direct kick from just outside the 18-yard box to round out scoring in the contest. It marked Maldonado's first career goal.
Both teams finished with five corner kicks in the contest, while neither side sustained any cautions during the match.
Junior goalkeeper Brendan Germano was tagged with the loss for Norwich, making eight saves.
